In an order dated December 18, the CCPA held that Vision IAS made unsubstantiated and misleading claims on its official website, including assertions such as “7 in Top 10 & 79 in Top 100 selections in CSE 2023” and “39 in Top 50 selections in CSE 2022”, without adequately disclosing the nature and extent of courses actually availed by the candidates featured in the advertisements.
The consumer regulator found that while the institute prominently displayed the names, photographs and ranks of toppers, it failed to clearly disclose whether these candidates had enrolled in full-length classroom programmes or had only availed limited services such as test series, mock interviews or interview guidance.
This, the Authority said, created a misleading impression that the candidates had undergone comprehensive coaching at the institute.
"This is the first case of penalty on the second offence," CCPA Chief Commissioner and Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare told PTI.
"Despite regulatory intervention and caution, the institute continued to make similar claims in its subsequent advertisements, demonstrating a lack of due diligence and regulatory compliance."
Following a preliminary inquiry, the CCPA directed a detailed investigation by the Director General (Investigation). The probe revealed significant discrepancies between Vision IAS’s public claims and its verified enrolment records.
According to the investigation report, out of the 119 plus selections claimed across the two years, only three candidates had enrolled in full foundation courses, The remaining 116 had merely opted for short-term or standalone programmes.
The Authority noted that, while the institute disclosed that Shubham Kumar (AIR 1, UPSC CSE 2020) had enrolled in the GS Foundation Batch (Classroom Student), it deliberately concealed similar information about other successful candidates displayed alongside him.
Additionally, in several cases, candidates whose names and photographs were used in advertisements were found to have no academic association with the institute at all.
"In view of the recurring nature of the violation, the present instance was treated as a subsequent contravention, warranting the imposition of a higher penalty in the interest of protecting consumers," the CCPA said in a statement.
The Authority also noted that Vision IAS continued to display the impugned advertisements on its website even after receiving a show-cause notice, and failed to furnish enrolment forms or consent documents authorising the use of candidates’ names and images, in violation of advertising guidelines.
Such deliberate concealment of material information misled aspirants and parents into believing Vision IAS was responsible for candidates' success across all stages of the examination, constituting a misleading advertisement under Section 2(28) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Authority observed.
Rejecting the institute’s argument that limited website space prevented full disclosure, the CCPA said digital platforms offer greater flexibility for transparency.
Projecting claims without proper authorisation or consent from students further compounded the misleading nature of the advertisements.
"In highly competitive examinations such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, where lakhs of aspirants invest substantial time, effort, and financial resources, such incomplete and selective disclosures mislead students and parents by creating false expectations regarding outcomes and the effectiveness of coaching services," the Authority stated.
It has also directed the institute to discontinue misleading advertisements, ensure truthful and complete disclosures going forward, and submit a compliance report within 15 days.
So far, the CCPA has issued 57 notices to various coaching institutes for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices. Penalties totalling ₹ 1.09 crore have been imposed on 28 institutes, along with directions to discontinue such misleading claims.
The Authority emphasised that all coaching institutes must strictly ensure truthful and transparent disclosure of information in their advertisements, enabling students to make fair and informed academic decisions.
